Those sneaky folks at Bose just launched one of their "Press Conference in a Box" initiatives, this time unveiling the new Bose SoundDock portable: It's a bit smaller than the original, with a new remote, retractable dock, lithium-ion battery and, yes, auxiliary input.

You get three hours of battery life at full volume, though it can run for "much longer" if you keep it lower. The battery will charge your iPod even when the dock is not plugged into the wall.

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I don't have the other SoundDock at the moment to shoot side by side, but the new one is 6.75 inches high, and just over 12 inches wide. When the dock is swiveled shut, as you can see in the gallery, the depth of the unit is just over 4 inches. It's not super light: according to my precision instruments it weighs just under 5 lbs.

Bose says the SoundDock Portable will be out at the end of September in high-gloss white or black, and will cost a whopping $399. Man, that lithium ion just doesn't go down in price, does it? The original SoundDock will keep on sellin', still at $299.